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Fresh water

Are you aware that only about 2.5 percent of the water on the Earth can be drunk? The balance 97.5 percent is salt water that we cannot use unless it is desalinated. Of the 2.5 percent that we can use, about three-fourths is frozen in the ice caps and glaciers, leaving just one quarter for household use. Fresh water is found in lakes, rivers, streams, underground, and glaciers.

The world is heading towards a freshwater crisis due mainly due to its mismanagement. This crisis is already evident in many parts of the world, varying in scale and intensity depending on the time of the year, climate, and location.
Another reason for the depletion of freshwater resources, particularly groundwater resources, is a rapidly increasing human population.
Recognizing the importance of water resources to the planet's future, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the year 2003 the International Year of Freshwater. This will provide an opportunity to raise awareness, motivate people, and mobilize resources in order to manage water in a sustainable way.